Veritas
Veritas – A Light in the Void Any civilized person travelling these reaches of space would be well advised to stop by Veritas, commonly known as the World of Truth. So distant are we from the great civilizations of the galaxy that university worlds are few and far between, but Veritas lies in the Badlands, well within reach of Carthage station. Veritas was founded by disenfranchised academics from the Terran Alliance in 2406 CE. These young scholars felt trapped by the rigid systems and hierarchies in TA Academia, a set out to forge their own destinies among the stars. How ironic then, that they founded one of the most strictly ruled planets in the sector! All prospective tourists should be aware that proper papers are necessary to land on the surface of Veritas. While tourist visas are easy to obtain, they are must be carried at all times. Veritas is ruled by the Council of Provosts, and each university on the planet is roughly equivalent to a nation. The main campuses make up maybe thirty percent of the planet’s land area, with the surrounding areas rented out for various purposes. The main draw of Veritas is certainly its museums and libraries. Whether your interests lie in science or humanities, significant amounts of material are made available to the public. Dynamar-Rys College is particularly good for tourists interested in modern science. Several excellent restaurants are available on campus at a variety of prices. Edenate University focuses on the biological and maintains a controlled habitat of approximately 10 million square kilometers. It contains a variety of terrain, from lush forests to breathtaking peaks, and safari tours are readily available. Those interested in military matters can find old models of Veritas’ defense fleet in the Aerospace Museum at Cygil Technological University. Of course, the latest models and prototypes make up the planet’s fleet – one cannot see those unless one is foolish enough to invade the planet. As the author’s interests primarily lie in antiquities, you must forgive his glowing recommendation of the Orsinium Foundation University. Its museums contain magnificent artifacts, primarily from the Manipulator and Battler civilizations. The halls of these giants have been painstakingly recreated in VR exhibits, so that the visitor may see what their cities may have looked like in their prime. If you are spending only a day on Veritas, OFU cannot be recommended enough. It is at this point the author must note that while museum collections are on display to anyone who can afford their modest fees, the great libraries and archives are more restricted. If you wish to access them, you will need to bring new knowledge to the university in question. It is said that some universities will allow access to their archives in return for donations, but such things are not spoken of openly. Currency, as we think of it, is taboo among the citizens of Veritas, and considered a base thing. And yet students must pay tuition and researchers clamour for funding! This is handled through an elaborate currency of information, backed by an encrypted archive. Each unit of currency is an address in this archive. This is considered to be a transfer of knowledge, and so totally acceptable for minor matters. It is the paradox of Veritas that they so greatly value knowledge, but they must keep a great deal secret and restricted to support their strange economy. The casual tourist does not need to know this, of course. The cryptocurrency will see them through most of their time on the planet. But if they ever desire anything truly valuable, they must have some great knowledge to give. In conclusion, any being of any curiousity or civility will enjoy their time of Veritas. Long may it shine on as a beacon of knowledge in these dark regions! Article by Silas Vert